Chapter 2620: Refusal
"Aoyue Immortal Emperor is being absurd!"
The Carefree Immortal Emperor, upon hearing that a disciple of the Emperor’s Palace had been severely injured and was near death, furrowed his brows and let out a cold snort.
In the Carefree Immortal Emperor’s memories, the former Emperor’s Palace Master was extremely generous, never keeping secrets from the disciples, imparting many Immortal Technique Secrets to them, all of which were Emperor Rank.
This was one of the main reasons for the great power of the collective disciples of the Emperor’s Palace, allowing them to laugh proudly in the Immortal Realm.
The immortals in the Immortal Realm all knew that the Immortal Technique Secrets created by the Emperor’s Palace Master were immensely powerful, far surpassing other Emperor Rank techniques. Hence, after the fall of the Emperor’s Palace, even the eight supreme Immortal Emperors sought to capture some disciples of the Emperor’s Palace, hoping to coerce them into revealing some techniques from the Emperor’s Palace to independently comprehend and cultivate.
However, each disciple from the Emperor’s Palace was extremely fierce. Once pursued by the top eight forces, knowing they couldn’t escape, they would choose the extreme method of self-detonation to perish alongside the foe, preventing the eight supreme Immortal Emperors from achieving their goals.
The Carefree Immortal Emperor, under the guise of protecting the disciples of the Emperor’s Palace, attracted many disciples to seek refuge, then imprisoned them in the Carefree Valley, coercing them for the techniques of the Emperor’s Palace.
Yet, he didn’t foresee those disciples to be so resolute, refusing to divulge anything, regardless of the methods employed.
The Carefree Immortal Emperor did not intend to kill one as a warning to others, knowing that it might backfire, inciting greater anger among the other disciples from the Emperor’s Palace.
Therefore, he kept those disciples imprisoned, preparing for a gradual coercion.
He believed that even the most steadfast will would eventually waver and crumble with the passage of time.
But now, Aoyue Immortal Emperor, without his consent, had gravely injured a disciple of the Emperor’s Palace, which would undoubtedly make the disciples more united.
The Carefree Immortal Emperor felt somewhat annoyed by this.
If not for Aoyue Immortal Emperor being his right-hand man, he would have struck him down with a single blow.
"Wuya, come with me to the Carefree Valley."
The Carefree Immortal Emperor planned to admonish Aoyue Immortal Emperor, urging him to restrain himself to prevent such incidents from occurring again in the future.
......
Fang Bai left the Carefree Palace with a smile on his face.
On the way back to the Cultivation Resource Exchange Market, the smile gradually faded, replaced by doubt and gravity.
Earlier in the Carefree Palace, when he inquired about the disciples of the Emperor’s Palace, the Carefree Immortal Emperor seemed to be hiding something. Furthermore, there were several eye exchanges between him and Wuya Immortal Emperor, which Fang Bai keenly noticed.
"The current Carefree Immortal Emperor, although not as arrogant and flamboyant as he was a thousand years ago, seems less transparent and more obscure..."
Fang Bai recalled the conversation with the Carefree Immortal Emperor, furrowing his brows slightly, then thought, "From his words, it seems there truly are disciples from the Emperor’s Palace under his protection within and outside Bluewater Immortal City. But why doesn’t he want me to meet those disciples? Could it be that he suspects me to be an informant for the eight supreme forces?"
He had just returned to his stall when he noticed two rays of light shooting up into the sky from the direction of the Carefree Palace, flying towards the outside of the city.
"Carefree Immortal Emperor and Wuya Immortal Emperor..."
Fang Bai looked up as the two rays of light disappeared before his eyes, murmuring to himself.
"Wushuang Immortal Emperor has returned."
Sensing Fang Bai’s presence, Fengyu Immortal Fairy, leading a group of five immortals, quickly came out to greet him, their expressions somewhat restrained.
Previously, the Carefree Immortal Emperor personally went to the Cultivation Resource Exchange Market to invite Fang Bai to the Carefree Palace. In the entire Bluewater Immortal City, only Wushuang Immortal Emperor had the honor.
In comparison, Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals felt both honored and worried that Fang Bai might be favored by the Carefree Immortal Emperor and stay in the Carefree Palace, becoming a member, gradually drifting away from them.
Now seeing Fang Bai return, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling endlessly joyful.
"Hmm, I’m back."
Fang Bai nodded, entering the Immortal Residence under the escort of Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals.
"As far as I know, the Carefree Immortal Emperor has never personally invited any immortals within the Immortal City to the Carefree Palace as guests. This time, he invited you, Wushuang Immortal Emperor... What might be the reason?"
Once inside the Immortal Residence, Fengyu Immortal Fairy cautiously asked.
This was a question of great concern to her and the other four immortals.
If the Carefree Immortal Emperor aimed to recruit Fang Bai into the Carefree Palace, even though Fang Bai refused this time, should the Carefree Immortal Emperor pose as generous or recruiting multiple times, Fang Bai might find it difficult to refuse regardless of his high status.
Fang Bai possessed infinite potential, making him naturally qualified to be invited by the Carefree Immortal Emperor to join the Carefree Palace. However, Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals were not as talented, and hence, were not favored by the Carefree Palace.
Once Fang Bai joined the Carefree Palace, he’d be tasked with alchemy and array formation for them, making it hard for them to meet him again.
Under the gaze of Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals, Fang Bai slowly began to speak: "The Carefree Immortal Emperor intends to recruit me to join the Carefree Palace he founded..."
"Ah..."
Although Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals had suspected this possibility, hearing Fang Bai confirm it, they couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, their hearts hanging anxiously.
"Did you... accept the invitation?"
Fengyu Immortal Fairy forced a smile, asking bitterly.
Fang Bai previously joined them, greatly enhancing the overall strength of their team, allowing them to hold their heads high in Bluewater Immortal City. They never expected the Carefree Palace to "steal away" Fang Bai.
The thought of Fang Bai eventually leaving their team to join the Carefree Palace filled them with a sense of loss, like being cast down from the clouds to the dust.
"Joining the Carefree Palace and becoming a subordinate of the Carefree Immortal Emperor, isn’t that the dream of many immortals?"
Fang Bai did not answer Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the four immortals. Instead, he looked at them and asked back.
Fengyu Immortal Fairy smiled bitterly: "Of course. In the whole Immortal Realm, countless immortals hope to serve an Emperor Realm Expert. It’s just that many lack the opportunity!"
"That’s true! However... I’m not particularly interested in joining the Carefree Palace."
Fang Bai, seeing Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals looking stunned at his words, smiled: "I’m used to my freedom and don’t like restrictions. Joining the Carefree Palace would inevitably lead to being summoned at the whim of the Carefree Immortal Emperor. So... even though he promised me a position as an Elder, I still refused."
"Carefree Palace Elder..."
Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals looked at each other, feeling a bit unbelievable.
They couldn’t imagine that the Carefree Palace would offer such a position to recruit Wushuang Immortal Emperor, showing how much the Carefree Immortal Emperor valued him.
What’s most surprising to Fengyu Immortal Fairy and the other four immortals is that Wushuang Immortal Emperor actually refused!
"To decline the invitation of the Carefree Immortal Emperor... If it were me, I wouldn’t have such courage..."
Fengyu Immortal Fairy paused for a few moments before expressing admiration, feeling joyous over Fang Bai’s refusal.